XDA user x2kjosh got curious about what exactly his phone was doing at any given time, as I'm sure we all have at some point. Your GPS icon randomly showing up in the task bar is a perfect example: What the hell is it doing there? What app is getting my location? Obviously tired of all the questions, Josh wrote a handy little app called Task Identifier.

The idea of it is simple: Notify the user whenever an app is loaded into memory. It's a pretty straightforward concept, but it is actually really interesting to use. It's hard to explain, so I'll just put the description for the thread and some pictures here:

This is not another Auto Task Killer, no. We are beta testing on Android 2.2 and 2.3 phones for FREE right now a new program which allows the user to specify alert levels to phone tasks and give you insight into what your phone is really doing. Make a call, ever wonder what apps may be listening? What's going on when you phone is in standby? In creating this, I will say that I've been surprised a few times at what is really going on. I want any and all feedback as well as we are trying to make this into something special.

Here are the main screens. We've got the menu, where you can set all your options and settings, the alerts (currently running tasks) and the app alert settings, respectively. I highly recommend that you read the "Help & About" before really using Task Identifier because, frankly, it's not extremely clear to the layman what the app does.

As stated in the description, this is not an automatic task killer. While it does contain a "kill" function, that is not the intended usage. This is more of a "watchdog" type application, used to see what exactly your phone is doing without your knowledge and controlling apps that get out of control. For the most part, it won't be too surprising.

While there are some bugs and usability issues, this app is really handy if you are a control freak with your phone (*cough*GUILTY*cough*) and what to know exactly what is happening at all times. You can get the app in the market for free and start big-brothering your phone right now! It's still in beta, so do your part and submit bugs and suggestions to the developer. You'll be doing us all a favor. Follow this appbrain link or scan the barcode to start the fun:

Task Identifier

Task Identifier 1.0 – Beta is a robust tool that users control. That said, once the app is installed on your phone, you’ll need to set it up. To do so, go to the “Help and About” section for a quick rundown of how things work.